Kaulike
by angelofjoy
Summary: Sequel to Kahuna Cowboy - When a hyjacking occures, Danny and Steve find themselves back on the Ranch trying to solve another Cowboy mystery. Welcome back the same cast of characters and Steve's new Horse, Kaulike.
1. Not Your Average Car Jacking

**A/N: Is everyone ready for a brand new cowboy adventure? This story is the sequel to _Kahuna Cowboy_. I'm bringing back the regular cast of characters, as well as a few new ones. **

**As always the Five-O franchise is owned by CBS, and I am of no affiliation with them.**

**Enjoy **

Chapter 1: Not Your Average Car Jacking

Hawaii was called paradise for a reason.

A vast network of communities and ecosystems, all live together to survive in a true spirit of aloha. The rolling hills, the vast outstretching ocean and the fertile soil are a purist's dream. The city life is hot and happening. The people are beautiful and culturally divers, and though to some it seems a private club located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, it had a welcoming spirit and a helpful and trusting appeal.

An old western soul could find a perfect place to live and work. A modern soul, with secret ties to a distant and adventurous past, could be exactly who he or she wanted to be, and that person with ties to the ancestors of the island, with respect for the modern world but a love for his or her roots, could coexist on the land of the beautiful island of Oahu.

With the past behind them, Five-O had moved on in a familiar sense. They had learned to become each others protectors. They had opened their hearts and their secrets to be trusting of each other, and had learned how to be one in each of their separate worlds.

Theirs was a world build on respect and trust. Together they saw and learned, and fought and taught, the ways to justice and truth. As a whole, four people were gathered together as one in the same search for what was right.

Gloria Robinson, a good friend of the Five-O task force and a woman of a western heart, was often in contact with her dear friends after what they had done to save her farm and her boarding stable. Since that time, Danny, Steve, Chin and even Kono made frequent and weekly visits to the farm.

Steve had become a proficient and dedicated rider, one with his horse, all thanks to Danny and his generous gift.

Danny had found a place where his adventurous youth could be nurtured and revived by the excitement of his friends and the new past time they shared together.

Chin found himself upon his horse more often then ever before because, at one time, it had been for work but now it was a reason to hone his skills and strive for an excellence that Danny encompassed.

Even Kono found a new love for a land sport. She had purchased her own horse – Lila – boarded it with Chin, Danny and Steve on Gloria's ranch and spend hours learning and riding and gaining a whole new appreciation for the old arts and the land on which she lived.

Together, and within a community that was strong and had ties to a farming way of life, the Five-O crew became a stronger team with little they kept from one another.

Other people who had come into the Five-O community from the farmers co-operative were the Snellings, whose patriarch, George, owned a farm that ran along one side of Gloria's and who at one time had been involved in all the same troubles. George Snelling, and a herd of grandchildren, twelve strong, worked a pineapple farm that had been in the family for generations and had ties right down to their Hawaiian roots.

George had been helpful, and George and Gloria founded a co-operative of farmers in the valley that would watch out for one another, work together and live in a sustainable way to help their community and protect it from the dangers and the fears that had popped up right under their noses. They had vowed that the corruption of human traffickers and drug runners would never happen, ever again, on their watch.

Another farm, one that had been taken over after Five-Os case was completed, had fallen into the hands of another one of the Five-O family. Kawika and his Kapu had come along, bought up the land in the hopes of returning it to Hawaiian people and got caught up in George and Gloria's master plan. It was now a functioning farm, once again, and the underground tunnels and hiding places had been sealed up and converted for storage and safety.

Kawika was open to the idea of helping out his neighbours and though he hadn't farmed before, he was a quick learner and the coffee that he and his men planted started to thrive.

Within the community Gloria, George and Kawika began to grow their co-operative, inviting other members of their farming community to join them and using all of the farms as a learning tool, promoting sustainable living and food awareness for the younger generations.

With the coffee, pineapples and grains gown by the three primary leaders, the other farms produced taro, pecans, bananas, mangos, avocados, coconuts, cocoa and sweet potatoes and they even boasted an affiliation with a fishery dedicated to the conservation of the fish of the islands. Young school children were brought out to the farms and taught about their community, where their food came from on the island and how to prepare traditional Hawaiian and Polynesian dishes as part of their school curriculum, and to get them excited about their community and protecting it.

Many of these students came out to the farms for hands on experience within the community and because of Kawika's ongoing involvement in charitable works, and the dedication of Five-O to bring awareness to the young people about being positive members of society, many men and women were pulled from the wrong path to the right and found employment within the co-operative.

It was now a thriving group of positive people, working for positive change and the conservation of the Hawaiian Islands.

As part of the school programs, tours of the farms were often offered and run out of Gloria's Ranch. Paths and trails were cut into the properties to connect the farms with one another and as a starting point to a day full of learning, the students would arrive at Vision Boarding Stable to the awaiting wagons and horses ready to take them on their farm tour.

The tour would take them through all of the farms and their crops as leaders would explain what went into the specialty crops and then it would all end back at the Kapu farm where the students would participate in classroom activities carried out in a huge, old barn. Cooking demonstrations, using the products from the fields, and discussions kept the kids occupied and entertained, and before long the programs and the cooperative became a standard practice for the students' curriculum.

Often enough, school tours of Five-O would also happen. Facilitated by Danny or Steve, they would pick up where the program had left off and, aside for the tour of the office with all its technology, the students saw the good in helping their community and working for justice – sometimes they even met the Governor. All in all, it was an experience that the students loved and the Five-Os loved helping with.

5-0

One morning, early in the school term, Gloria had met another tour group of students just outside of her farm. She had tacked her two beautiful quarter horses – Lilo and Stitch – to a ten-foot wagon bed which had been refurbished with rows of benches and a canopy to help shelter the students from the sun for their ride through the fields of all of the farms.

The school buses always arrived at the same time and the students were thrilled at what they saw as they pulled up to the first farm. Out in the pens, frolicking and content, were all of Gloria's boarding horses. Occasionally there would be students in lessons, or rodeo like time trials, but always the horse were out for the viewing, and Lilo and Stitch loved the attention they always received as the two horses that lead the tours.

The students disembarked from their bus and were ushered right up and onto the flatbed of the wagon. From there, Gloria would convey the students through the fields, leading her horses on with a calm and authoritative command, while a member of the education crew would talk about the farms as they drove along.

Halfway along the root, somewhere between Gloria's farm and George's, on a side of the land that bordered on the forest reserve, Lilo and Stitch began to act out of character for their usual calm and docile selves. Gloria scanned the woods for any signs of what might be spooking the horses and brought the wagon ride to an even slower crawl.

"What's going on?" The teacher who accompanied her students asked in a whisper to the woman leading the tour.

"I'm not quite sure." The young woman who had been brought to the co-operative from the former case, rescued by George on his farm, stated as she spun around in her seat and looked to Gloria.

"Something's up," Gloria whispered to her tour guide. "I think we had better speed up this part of the tour and get away from the forest reserve."

"Should I contact Five-O?" Juanita asked in a whisper as she pulled her cellular phone from the pocket of her overalls.

"Do you have reception?" Gloria asked as Lilo's ears twitched suddenly and she tried to side step away from the edge of the forest.

"Oh no," Juanita sighed as she looked at her phone.

"Git up you two," Gloria stated and slapped the reigns down with a crack.

Before the horses could react, a man dressed from head to toe in army camouflage jumped out of the forest carrying a large, semiautomatic, weapon.

"Whoa!" The man yelled and before anyone could react to the weapon more men crashed through the underbrush from the forest reserve and surrounded the wagon.

"Alright, everyone off!" one man who had come up on the back of the wagon yelled.

"That means you too, missy!" The first man ordered as he climbed up beside Gloria. "Step down or fall down, it's your choice," he added and aimed his weapon right at her.

Gloria did as she was told and Juanita followed her lead. The children were gathered in the middle of the path with their teacher and the two tour leaders huddled around them.

"What are they going to do to us?" A little boy asked full of fear.

"Shh, Henry," the teacher cooed and wrapped her arms around the little boy.

"All of you, turn around and head back the way you came!" another one of the camouflaged men stated. "Go now, or I'll start shooting!"

The children, as lead by their teacher, started to sprint up the path, while Gloria and Juanita took up the rear. Gloria turned to look over her shoulder and watched in shocked horror as the men all gathered on the flatbed wagon and the first man snapped the reigns and Lilo and Stitch bolted forward in an attempt to escape. The wagon veered and shook, knocking several of the men off their feet and onto the floor of the wagon, but the first man, the one who had started the ambush, held tight to the reigns as he shouted orders to the horse, and then they veered off, down a hidden trail and off into the forest reserve.


	2. What Cha Gonna Do About It?

**A/N: Good Afternoon Everyone! Hope you are all having a wonderful day! **

**Here is Chapter Two, it's got a lot of filler in it, but it needs it. Hope you like the picture of the cowboys I'm painting!**

**Enjoy!**

Chapter 2: What Cha Gonna Do About It?

Danny and Steve spun around at the sound of the double glass doors opening to their office and what they saw surprised them greatly.

Walking in, flanked by George Snelling and Kawika, was Gloria Robinson – looking disheveled and upset. Her face was red with anger but her movements said more of fear and fatigue. It was a look Steve and Danny hadn't seen on the usually calm and cheerful rancher for quite some time.

"Glow, what happened? Don't you have a tour this morning?" Danny asked as he rushed forward to the woman who shook her head.

"They stole my horses!" Gloria yelled and threw up her hands. She stomped her feet and breathed deeply, trying to calm herself down, but it wasn't working. It was all she could do before she burst into tears. "My poor horses," She sobbed and was held up by Kawika and George.

"Whoa. Calm down. Tell us exactly what happened." Steve said as calmly as he could as Danny reached out and took Gloria into his arms.

"Gloria, Juanita and their school tour were ambushed and their wagon was stolen." Kawika spoke angrily knowing how upset Gloria had been when she had made the frantic calls to help out to her farm.

"Who steals a wagon?" George Snelling huffed as the anger was present in him as well.

"Was anyone hurt?" Steve asked in shock.

"No, the kids are all fine and their teacher is fine. Juanita is a little shaken up and Gloria is pissed, but otherwise, they got away lucky," George answered.

"Lucky, they stole Lilo and Stitch!" Gloria stated in shock. "We're not fine! Those two horses are like my family. I raised them both. They were born on my ranch. Take the wagon, the crops, hell, take all the water in the world but leave my horses, my babies, out of this. Lilo and Stitch are big softies. They don't have the disposition for this and they can't stand up for themselves. They may be huge quarter horses but they're kitten compared to most. The gentlest, most calm…they are out there all alone and frightened – I know it. You have to save them!"

"We'll get on this right away but you need to tell us what happened." Danny said softly as he continued to hold her.

"The tour had started. We were halfway between my place and George's with the forest on one side and the horses got spooked. I should have sped up and took off but I slowed down to see what had gotten my two most reliable horses on edge and then we were ambushed. Six men, all in army camouflage and wearing bandanas over their noses and mouths jumped out from the reserve side and told us to get off the wagon. They then told us to run back and they took off back into the reserve with my babies!" Sighing sadly and reaching out for the chair that Steve offered to Gloria, she sat and shook her head. "Those two were born on my farm at the same time. It was a miracle and I raised them to take over for my other horses that were getting to old. Now they're gone and there is nothing I can do to help them."

"We'll figure this out, Glow, I promise," Danny said softly. "If anyone is going to be able to find them, it's Steve and I, and we'll head out right away."

"We know that forest reserve pretty well now. We'll get your horses back in no time." Steve added optimistically

"Yeah," Danny said and nodded his agreement with Steve as Kono and Chin walked into the office.

"Saddle up. We're heading back to the forest reserve!" Steve stated and before they could ask any questions Kono and Chin spun on their heals and headed back out of the office.

"I'm so sorry you guys. I know you're busy." Gloria sobbed as she braced herself on Kawika's arm but followed Five-O all the same.

"We're never too busy to help a friend, and this is not what should be happening to you anymore." Danny stated as anger flashed in his eyes. "This is not _our_ way and whoever thinks they can do this is in for a rude awakening. Come on Steve, we have work to do."

5-0

Gloria, George and Kawika followed the Five-Os out of their HQ and all the way back to Gloria's farm. HPD were already on the scene when they arrived and we still talking with Juanita. The school children had been released and taken back to their school for counseling and pick up, but their statements had been taken and all accounts of the encounter had turned out to be exactly how Gloria had retold them.

"We found them." Gloria announced to the HPD officers that stood around waiting.

"She wouldn't let us do anything until you got here." Duke Lukela said as Danny and Steve climbed out of the Camaro. "We could have handled this but Gloria insisted that it be handled by people familiar with her property."

"Thanks a lot Duke. We'll take it from here." Danny said and smiled kindly before he walked onward – following Gloria up to the barn.

"I want to get all the horses inside. This was too close to home. I can't risk anymore. I am going to round up my horses and my cattle and as much as I hate locking them up, I'm going to have to." Gloria explained and then coloured slightly. "I could use some help though."

"We're here for you," George said with a nod. "I might not be a cattle man but I can bring a horse in from its pen."

"I can too," Kawika nodded his agreement.

"And round up won't be hard." Danny stated and with a nod to his partner Steve was ready to saddle up.

"I can't let you do the round up, D. I have to have you out hunting. I need to know that my best men are out there. You have to go out after my horses. I got round up under control if I can have Chin and Kono. You and Steve have to get out to the forest."

"It's more along my lines of expertise," Steve said optimistically and nodded as Danny turned to his partner for confirmation.

"Alright, but I'm not coming back till I find those horses. This could take a long time so someone is going to have to pack us up for an all-nighter. I have to make a few calls, make sure someone can get Grace for me, and then my attention is all on you and this crisis."

"I'll saddle up the horses, and make sure we have everything we need for an impromptu camping trip." Steve nodded. "I'm pretty sure I have everything we are going to need in the truck of your car." He added with a wink.

"I wouldn't be surprised." Danny said and then sighed and walked out of the barn as everyone moved quickly to accomplish the tasks that Gloria had set out for them.

5-0

With an hour put behind them and the afternoon spreading out before them, Danny put all of his affairs in order and then walked back into the stable to find Steve already dressed down in his cowboy gear and bullet proof vest, and ready with two awaiting horses – Kaulike and Target.

"Come on partner, we're loosing daylight!" Steve stated as on edge as his young horse.

This was to be the first time Steve would take Kaulike out on a mission. The training and the partnership between horse and rider had been coming along well but Kaulike was young and inexperience, and so was Steve.

"Hold on," Danny sighed and moved toward the locker room with his vest slung over his shoulder. "You're not going to get anywhere fast with that kind of attitude, besides, Chin isn't back with the guns yet."

"I forgot to pack the shotguns – how stupid of me."

"I didn't think we'd need them either." Danny said and then disappeared into the locker room.

Steve, in his anxiety, began pacing the length of the barn as he waited for Danny to be ready. Steve was ready, or rather he believed himself ready, with a rope slung at his hip, all of his tracking experience with the SEAL in his arsenal, and his horse ready to go. He was sure he could keep up with Danny, the Kahuna Cowboy, but at the same time he was nervous. He knew that all his work had made him a good rider. All his attention to his new horse had solidified their partnership, but Danny was still telling him to find his patients and that made him even more impatient – it made Kaulike impatient as well.

Danny finally came out of the locker room dressed from head to toe in black. His vest was visible over a long sleeved back button down shirt. On one hip were his service weapon and his badge, and on the other a rope – coiled perfectly. He placed a black Stetson on his head as Chin walked into the barn once more carrying two gun cases.

"Here you go sheriff." Chin smiled and handed the guns to Danny.

Danny rolled his eyes as Gloria came into the barn with a bundle and a floppy eared blood hound.

"Provisions for the two of you while you're out there," Gloria said and handed Steve the bundle. "And you're going to take Remington. He's been round those horses since he was a pup. He knows their scent. He'll lead you right to them." She added but there was sadness and a fatigue in her eyes that was unnatural to the usually vibrant woman.

"We'll find them." Danny stated as he swung the riffle over his shoulder and it rested across his back like a quiver. "And we'll bring them back." He said as he rested his hands on Gloria's shoulders and looked into her eyes.

"I know you will," Gloria said and sighed with tears in her eyes, "but I'm afraid of how."

"If anything happened to those horses, there will be hell to pay. I promise." Danny stated and with a quick glance at Steve he unhooked Target from the prep area and headed out of the barn with the blood hound at his heals.

"Here's what we're gonna do," Danny said out loud once he and Steve were out of the barn and away from all the eyes and ears that had been following them. "We're going to ride out to the spot where we know that the ambush took place and then we are going to head into the forest reserve and let Remington do his work. I contacted Catherine and she's monitoring the area for heat signatures. She'll call you on your satellite phone if she finds anything."

"What do you think we're going to find?" Steve asked as he quickly mounted his horse.

"We have no idea why they wanted those horses. For all we know they could be dead. The last thing I want to find is a dead horse, do you hear me Steven, but if it's not that then what could it be? Worst case scenario is we are ambushed ourselves."

"We have plenty of firepower." Steve smirked.

"Against military men?"

"Who are you talking to?"

"I'm sorry if I can't be as optimistic in the situation."

"It's alright; we'll get to the bottom of this." Steve said confidently and followed as Danny led the way out to the trails.


	3. The Horse Whisperer

**A/N: Warning – May need tissues.**

**I hope the emotion comes across in this.**

**Enjoy!**

Chapter 3: The Horse Whisperer

Danny and Steve headed out, via the trails, and at first their progress was very quick. They rode at a gallop, burning off steam, and the hound followed them. They followed the wagon's route to the place that Gloria had described and then, as they released Remington, their pace became slower.

Steve's tracking instincts pushed his impatience aside and he scanned the forest for any signs of human activity. The baddies hadn't been careful in the beginning. They'd crashed through the underbrush leaving a path of destruction with was easy to follow until it crashed through the underbrush and opened up to a bush road which seemed to see a lot of vehicular traffic.

"Was this road on any of your maps?" Danny asked as Remington hesitated and then chose a direction. With his nose to the ground the dog moved along slowly and Danny and Steve followed.

"No," Steve answered and quickly, with what little cell service he had left sent a text off to Catherine. "We could be at this all day," Steve added impatiently from atop his horse as their progress had slowed exponentially.

"You wouldn't be complaining if we were on foot and you were in full camouflage," Danny said as he rode along slowly, his eyes always scanning the ground, the foliage of the forest and the twitching of Target's ears.

"I'm not complaining," Steve stated indignantly, "I just think that we would be making more time if we didn't have to follow that dog."

"I think we're on the right trail – because of the dog," Danny stated, not in any mood to be complacent, and with a need for argument. "This road seems to consist mostly of vehicle traffic so the horse shoes that Remington has been following, this past ten minutes, have got to be Lilo and Stitch – our kidnapped quarter horses."

"Why steal a pair of quarter horses," Steve asked with a sigh, not in the mood to argue with Danny, but echoing Gloria's sentiments.

"Your guess is as good as mine."

"I mean if you have vehicles, which seems to be the case, then what do you need a pair of horses for? Certainly not travel, cars would be faster."

"You would think, and easy for us to track, but the horse hooves seem to be just as easily tracked," Danny stated and then called for his horse to stop as Remington bound off the road and into the forest. "He's got something."

"So do we follow on horse back or on foot?" Steve asked as Kaulike stomped at the ground impatiently.

"Just give me a second," Danny stated as he dismounted and went to the edge of the road. "It doesn't seem too thick, we may be able to make it through there on horse back and Remington is hot on the trail. We'll have to risk it to try and keep up. There doesn't seem to be any kind of a path though so we're riding blind into that," Danny added as he hoisted himself back up onto Target and pointed at the questionable jungle.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Steve asked as he kicked his horse into motion and headed into the brush after the dog.

Riding, head down, as quickly as they could – in pursuit of the dog, Steve and Danny did their best not to knock themselves off their mounts as they rode. The further into the jungle they rode the denser it all got, and the more it slowed down their progress.

The sun was already starting to set as the dog led them on a wild goose chase, but finally, with a yap and a bark, Remington stopped and the distressed cries of horses could be heard.

"Whoa," Danny called out as he pulled hard on the reins and Target came to a stop and Steve did the same.

In the darkness of the jungle, Remington had stopped, had howled and for some reason he had stayed back, away from the dark shadows that cried out and moaned in the dancing shadows of the fading light.

"Is that them?" Steve asked as he squinted, trying to make out what he was seeing.

"Here, takes these reins," Danny said as he handed off the reins of Target and slowly walked toward the struggling and fearful shadows.

"Do you need back up?"

"I need you to stay back right now," Danny stated and the tone of his voice was enough warning and demand to freeze Steve in his place atop his horse.

Through the darkness, Danny moved slowly. First he came up to the dog that was still barking but would not go any closer to the crashing of hooves and the cracking of branches. Danny spoke calmly and sternly to the dog and the barking stopped, and the dog backed away from the scene. Then Danny moved further into the commotion and what he saw broke his heart and brought tears to his eyes.

Both horses crashed into each other in absolute panic. Their bits and bridal cut and tore at their faces as they struggled against the restraints. The reins were tired to trees, and the horses were too close to one another not to do damage to themselves and the jungle that must have seemed to be closing in on them. Blood ran from their mouths. They kicked and crashed into one another and all around them the jungle seemed to shake.

"Settle down boys." The words were all Steve heard come from Danny as his calm, stern voice cut through the cries and the groans of the struggling horses.

"Shh," Danny whispered as he moved around the horses as slowly and as calmly as he could manage - their eyes pleading and frightened.

Danny knew that the first thing he would have to do was released the tangled, trapped horse, before he could even try to calm them down and evaluate the damage that they had done. He didn't dare touch either of them, or get too close to their flailing heads or bucking rears, but he made his way to the trees where their reins had purposely been tied. One by one, as Danny spoke calmly to both horse he untangled the reins and with a slight tug and a command, Danny managed to break the two horses free from each other.

"They were left for dead," Danny said to Steve as he came out of the shadows, leading one of the two giant beasts behind him. "They were purposely left out here, tied too close together so that they'd spook one another and all alone. These horses weren't the target, they were just a technicality and they were left to die." The anger in Danny's voice was enough to send a shiver down Steve's back. "We have to get them back to Gloria, tonight, and then we have to come back out here tomorrow," Danny stated and with the long length of rope he had at his hip, he made a new loop around the semi calm quarter horse he'd lead out of danger. Leaving as much space between himself and the horse, he handed the rope to Steve and headed back into the forest to fetch the second horse.

Together, once again, and back on the road heading toward Gloria's farm, Steve and Danny traveled in a single file line with the two horses following at a distance behind them. They were silent with each other. Their progress was slow, for the sake of the injured horses, and convincing the frightened animals to follow them through the second stretch of brush and back to the trails that they knew well, was difficult, but finally as darkness had settled all around them, the lights of the farm house came into the view and Danny and Steve knew that they had rescued two, very frightened and helpless animals.

5-0

Slowly and quietly, Danny and Steve led the horses back into the stable yard and it was there that Danny dismounted and became very dark and solemn.

"Go get Gloria," Danny said to Steve in a low growl that Steve had never heard from Danny before.

"Are you sure you don't want help with them?" Steve asked as he too dismounted and hooked Kaulike's reins to the stable fence.

"No," Danny stated as he tried very hard to keep his breathing steady and his heart rate down. "Just go and get Gloria," He ordered and Steve took off running.

Slowly Danny walked both Lilo and Stitch into the barn – one by one taking them into the light and seeing the damage in it's entirety for the first time. He couldn't help the tears that rolled down his cheeks and he gently removed the bit and bridal from around the horse's heads and led them to their pens with only a silent and gently hand on the side of their necks. Both horses, acting almost in the same way, followed a wordless Danny and understood his commands. He then went back out and got Target and Kaulike, brought them inside and stripped them of their gear before placing them in their pens for the night. He waited, with a bowed head, as Gloria and Steve came back into the barn.

"Oh my God," Gloria gasped at the sighed of her horses.

"You're going to have to get your vet out here Glow," Danny said as he wrapped his arms around his friend. "I can't tell you how bad it is. I only hope it looks worse then it really is. I think they would have struggled and ultimately…well if Steve and I hadn't found them when we did…you know." Danny tried to explain but he couldn't find the words - he didn't want to find the word because in his mind every horrible possibility was playing out.

Gloria was silent.

"I'm going to go call Chin and Kono," Steve said and quickly, without waiting for a response, he left the barn.

"I'll stay here tonight, if you want me to," Danny whispered to Gloria once Steve was gone.

"You don't have to. There isn't much we can do now," Gloria said, her voice shook, but her eyes said something different.

"I'll stay, and I'll clean them up."


	4. Whispers Of The Past

**A/N: Update spam today! I hope you like the three back to back story updates. It came to me, while I was writing this chapter that last time I wrote about the _Kahuna Cowboy_, I had also first started writing about Danny's Mother. It seems fitting that I should be updating these stories together. They were meant to be together.**

**Shameless plug, yes I know, but if you aren't reading my other stories please check them out – especially the _California Nemesis Conundrum_. If you are an NCIS: LA or a Big Bang Theory fan, please give some love to my crossover. It's a sad little unloved story right now.**

**Thanks everyone.**

Chapter 4: Whispers of the Past

The veterinarian arrived before dawn. Danny had spent the better part of the night in the barn, by himself, and surrounded by horses. He had been hasty in bringing the horses back around to their pens, and so, once Gloria had left him, he went back and gave the two riding horses the attention they deserved.

He was happy to be alone. Happy to be able to look into the eyes of so many horses and see the passion and hear the gentle whispers of a time when all he had ever dreamed of was a life like this. He had a special, quiet, connection with any horse he seemed to come into contact with – some people called it his special gift – but Danny knew it was because he had learned to listen.

First he brought Target out, leaving Lilo and Stitch to calm down and rest. Target had done his job just as Danny had trained him to long ago, and now it was Danny's turn to return the favor. He bathed Target, brushed out his coat and picked his hooves clean before trimming up his mane and his tail and leading him back to his pen with fresh food and water. Danny leaned on the door, with its top bars swung to one side, and watched as Target settled in again.

"You know don't you," Danny whispered as the horse brought his head around once more and leaned it against the side of Danny's face. "I almost lost it."

The horse watched him carefully, his dark eyes glistening in the dim barn light.

"There is something more to this," Danny said addressing the horse once more. "You heard it out there. There was something else, but Lilo and Stitch were our main objective. We had to find them and bring them home. It's always the way, help the victims and then go after the villains."

Target whinnied and tossed his mane.

"I know you know."

The horse shook out its mane again and then turned with a sigh toward his food.

"We'll go back out tomorrow morning, as soon as we know that Lilo and Stitch are out of danger," Danny said as he ran his hand down the side of Target's neck. "You know we can't go back out there alone. We have to wait for help," he added and then moved down to the far end of the barn and pulled Kaulike out of his pen.

Kaulike, though he had become Steve's horse in so many ways, still had a connection that was very strong with Danny. He never took his eyes off the man who had rescued him, and in a way, that would always make Kaulike Danny's horse. The horse knew how to listen, he knew that there was tension in Danny's every move and for a moment Kaulike was hesitant. Then with a nudge that caught Danny by surprised, Kaulike pushed him forward and Danny opened up.

"I know you'll never forget what happened out there the very first time we met," Danny whispered as he brushed the dried on muck and debris from the jungle out of Kaulike's white coat. "I thought you were a brown horse when I first found you – the mud was so cake on. Imagine my surprised when you turned out to be white."

Kaulike nodded.

"And now look at you, turned into quite the prize horse. To think, you were left out there to die with so many others – you were one of the lucky ones. I can only imagine what it must have been like to see Lilo and Stitch tied up and frightened just as you had been."

Kaulike turned his head and looked back at Danny, making direct and perfect eye contact.

"This is just like then, and I'm afraid to think of what else we might find."

Kaulike moved only slightly and touched Danny with the tip of his soft nose.

"I know we have to go back and find it. It's our job. We have to save them and protect them, and bring justice to those who can't. I know – but I don't want to."

Kaulike moved to stare straight ahead again.

"I feel yah," Danny whispered and led Kaulike into the washing stall.

After dealing with both of his horses and finding them comfortable and clean, and well watered, back in their stalls, Danny walked down the barn again and gently, without entering, tired to assess the damage done the Lilo and Stitch.

Both horses had remained on their feet. The bleeding had stopped around their faces, but there was pain and fear in their eyes. Not able to stand the sight, Danny led each of the horses out, one by one and cleaned them too. Talking calmly and gently to both of the horse as he washed away the blood and the dirt, Danny could feel the fear and the pain as he ran his hands over every inch of the great big horses. There were twitches and starts at his touch, and nervousness at the wounds, but on his second inspection, he believed that things could have been much worse – fatally worse.

When Danny had finished the work he had set out to do he began to pace the length of the barn. Down one side, with horses lined up on his right, and back up again along the other side, most of the horses were calm, quiet and oblivious to what had happened. Some of them dozed. Some of them ate. But, for the most part, they were all calm and quiet in the dimmed light of the barn. Others watched Danny with interest as they stuck their heads out and graciously accepted a gentle pat or a kind work, as Danny passed them by. They could sense and feel and understand the man just by watching him, but Danny's mind was troubled. He breathed in the smells of the barn, as behind the forced calm he had brought to his exterior, his mind and his heart were screaming.

In the time when Danny had found Kaulike, he had only just moved to Hawaii, and in the time since then Hawaii had become his home. The moved had been unwanted, Hawaii had been hated, and the one thing Danny had wanted was a return to a life where he could find his past, his childhood, and his dearest friends in the farmlands of Western New Jersey. Knowing that he would probably not be back to his home land for a long time, Danny had planned the move for his horse, Target, and during the preparations and the search for a safe farm to keep him on Danny had met Gloria and at the same time stumbled on a huge animal cruelty case out of the mountains of Nevada. Danny had every intention of only moving Target, but when he returned – his mind troubled and a young mustang in tow – Gloria knew that something had happened that would scar a part of Danny's heart forever.

As the night wore on, Danny felt the fatigue of the day come over him, and although he didn't want to sleep, he found a place among the bails of hay and he rested, pulling his hat down over his eyes and letting his mind drift in and out of oblivion as the calmness settled in the barn.

Just before dawn he was woken by Gloria as she entered the barn at her usual time, to start her chores. The veterinarian followed shortly after and as Danny helped Gloria with the morning chores Lilo and then Stitch were examined. Danny wouldn't let himself be calm until the Doctor told them that the horses would be alright with a little rest and a stress free environment for a little while. They were confined to their pens and pampered, and Gloria welcomed the added work knowing that her horses would make it through their ordeal.

With the arrival of the dawn and the sun, Steve and Chin returned to the farm.

"Please tell me Catherine came up with something on that road we found," Danny sighed as he walked out of the barn, stretched and accepted the cup of coffee Steve had brought with him.

"It's not supposed to be there, but she's got people mapping it," Steve answered. "And we're heading back out there, aren't we."

"Yes," Danny nodded, his resolve returning to him. "But I need to eat something first."

"Breakfast," Chin said and produced a box from Liliha Bakery.

"Thank you," Danny said with a weary sigh.

"I'm going to come out with you today. Kono is staying behind and in direct contact with Catherine. They are going to be mapping the area to see if there is anything out there that might help or hinder us," Chin explained. "I'll head in and saddle up, you eat something – and drink that coffee. You look like hell."

"Thanks," Danny smirked and then, as Chin left, he turned to Steve. "Did you get what I asked for?" he asked.

"A change of cloths is in my truck," Steve answered but there was something else in the way he looked at Danny.

"I don't want to talk about it," Danny said reading his partner like a book. "Why don't you head in and help Chin, and I'll eat, shower and change. I won't be long."

"Are the horses going to be okay?" Steve asked as he hesitated and turned back to his partner.

"The doctor says they are going to be fine. Everything looked way worse then it was and once I got them cleaned up I was convinced my self, but that doesn't make what was done any less vile."

"I agree," Steve said with a nod. "But are you okay to head out there today and think objectively?"

"My objective is to find the bastards that did this and beet the living crap out of them with my bare hands. I don't think my objective could be any clearer."

"You won't be calm again until you've hit something – I get it."

"No, I'm calm now. A night spent in the barn, with the horses in the quiet can do a lot," Danny said and sipped the coffee.

"You talk to them don't you?" Steve asked and there was nothing in his tone that meant to mock. Steve was completely serious. "Do they talk back?"

"When you learn to listen, they will," Danny answered seriously. "You just need to learn to hear them in a different way."


	5. In The Pit

**A/N: This chapter has a moment of graphic images. I apologize in advance for that. Hope it's alright.**

Chapter 5: In the Pit

Once again atop their horses, Steve and Danny were joined by Chin, and his horse Loa. They headed out once again along the same route, heading for the place they had found Lilo and Stitch, and not sure what they would find beyond that.

In the daylight it didn't take much to find the disaster in the jungle where the two quarter horses had tired to free themselves but there wasn't anything left in the debris that warranted any further investigations, so they headed back to the road – of unknown origins – and continued to follow it – their weapons always at the ready and their horses paying close attention to every movement and sounds of the midmorning jungle.

"From what I understand, this road is very new. Catherine went back through some of her satellite images and found traces of the trail that is now this road, but it seems to stand out much more now," Steve explained as they rode along.

"Lucky for us, I suppose, it's nothing more then a clear, straight, pathway," Chin said with a nod, "makes for easy riding."

"It could be detrimental to our health, as we could be riding right into a trap." Danny stated pessimistically.

"We have guns."

"Yes Steven, we do, but so do they."

"We also have military spy satellites monitoring our every move," Steve added optimistically, "and satellite phones, the whole Kapu out in their territory making it clear for us and me."

"I feel better already," Danny said sarcastically as he stopped his horse, dismounted and walked toward the opposite side of the road. "Why didn't we just send in the military and be safe back in our office?" he grumbled but walked along slowly trying to see past the banks of debris from where the road had been cut into the jungle.

"What has sparked your curiosity?" Chin asked as he watched Danny closely.

"I smelled something," Danny answered. "Can you take him for a second?" he asked and handed off Target's reins to Chin.

"You smelled something?" Steve asked with a laugh.

"Yes, I smelled something," Danny stated and rushed up and over the embankment and disappeared on the other side.

"Maybe you should follow him," Chin suggested as Danny disappeared over the band and could be heard crashing through the underbrush.

"No need," Danny said as he reappeared just slightly ahead of them, "there is a trail here," he added as he came around and mounted his horse again, "and yes, the smell did get stronger on the other side."

"It's probably just a hunting trail. We could go back to Kawika and he'd probably give us the run down on all the Kapu hunting trails." Steve stated.

"Maybe, but the smell got worse on the other side of the bank, so either you stay on the road or you follow me, but I am going to find out what that smell is."

"What did it smell like?" Chin asked but he was already ready to go after Danny.

"Rotting flesh," Danny answered. "I've smelled it enough in my time to know that something is definitely up when you smell it out in the jungle. It smells like death."

"Why didn't you say so in the first place?" Steve asked and kicked his horse into motion.

"Because I didn't want you jumping to conclusions and running off on your own," Danny yelled and then pushed Target to catch up with Steve.

5-0

Not far off the road, the smell got stronger. So strong that all three men were certain it wasn't just some dead animal. They pulled at their t-shirts, or wrapped bandanas around their faces, to mute the horrific smell, but as it got worse, they pushed onward.

A twinge of fear brought back a horrific memory to Danny, back in a time when he had found Kaulike.

Little did Danny know, the smell in the jungle brought another horrific memory in to the mind his partner – one that still haunted Steve in his dreams. Steve rode onward, staying as close to Danny as he could, but in his silence he prayed that he wouldn't find what his mind had brought back to him.

Suddenly, and without warning, the trail came to an end as they came to the edge of a very steep cliff.

"These litter the island. They were formed when this whole valley was a strain of active volcanoes. It was a volcanic vent," Chin explained as the three men dismounted, tired off their horses to near by trees and walked to the edge of the vent.

Steve stared down into the pit. It was the most horrific thing he'd seen outside of a war zone and here it was – stumbled upon by himself and his partners.

"Oh my God," Chin gasped as he backed away from the edge and stumbled.

"We have to get them outta there," Steve said and he swallowed hard trying to get the sick taste out of his mouth.

"That's not for us. Max and the pros will handle it. We have to find out who all these people are and how they ended up in a mass grave in hills of Oahu," Danny said as he pulled at Steve's arm, "come on, we can't do anything from here. We need to get back up, we need to find help and we need to figure out how we are going to get down into that pit."

"We have to help them." Steve stated his voice giving away more then he would have liked.

"We will."

"What could possibly drive a person to do something like this? How could you possibly benefit from a mass execution?" Steve asked. "What is the price for a kill like this?"

"I haven't the foggiest idea." Danny said as he turned and looking into the pit – the open air pit and saw the faces of dozens and dozens of naked, mangled, bodies.

"It's inhumane," Steve stated, swallowed hard and turned away.

"I know," Danny agreed and as he turned back to where his horse and Steve's were waiting the images flashed somewhere in the back of his mind. He looked at Kaulike and remembered what had happened to the poor creature and it was, in so many ways, the same way Danny had found the horses.


	6. Darkness In Daylight

**A/N Yay I'm updating again! Okay, so you know in old western movies when you have the girl come across the field to meet the returning heroes but the heroes don't feel like heroes at this point? Yeah this chapter is that scene.**

**Enjoy**

Chapter 6: Darkness in Daylight

The scene that played out as the three men rode out of the jungle was dark and somber in the brightness of the Hawaiian sun. Kono looked up, just in time from the work that she had been put in charge of, to see these three men who were like her brother, but who looked completely and wholly down trod. Like three men returning from a battle that had been lost.

Kono had been left behind that morning, in the office and in constant contact with Catherine and the people Steve had turned to for help, but as the navy worked their magic Kono began to feel the weight of being left behind. She finished what she had set out to do and then headed out to the farm to offer to help in any way she could, just so that she didn't feel so useless.

Now, as the men came across the field and it was clear that they had found something completely horrific, Kono knew it had been best that she had come out to be with them.

"Glow, you'd better call HPD. This is going to be bad." Kono said to her friend as she too saw the scene.

"Really bad," Gloria said and rushed off toward her house.

The guys rode on - their shoulders slumped, their hats pulled low over their eyes. It was like the jungle opened up and only shadows spilled out. Somehow everything from the birds to the wind knew that it was time for silence. Even the horses seems to drag their feet.

With her heart in her throat, Kono couldn't wait any longer and she rushed out into the open field - between Gloria's stable and the edge of the property - to meet these three shadows and their horses.

"What did you find?" Kono called out and her words broke the three men out of their silence.

"Kono, you were supposed to be back at HQ." Chin stated and his tone spoke of the elder protecting the young. "You were supposed to stay away."

"I did what I could and I felt that I would be needed here," Kono answered her cousin, "but what did you find?" she asked again and this time fear and anger flowed out of her body. "Don't keep me in the dark Chin. I'm not a child anymore!"

Danny dismounted in that moment and as he came to stand before Kono, Gloria ran out to meet them too.

"It's bad," Danny said as he lifted his head but the shadow from the brim of his hat covered his eyes. "This isn't the western way, but it is the stuff of nightmares. You don't want to see it Kono. Please, let everyone else head out into that darkness, but you need to stay away. You don't need to see that - ever."

"Okay," Kono said softly as Danny walked on ahead of her holding Target's reins loosely in his hands.

"Is he going to be okay?" Kono asked as Steve too hopped down from his horse and followed Danny silently.

"None of us are," Steve said, placed one hand on Kono's shoulder momentarily, and then walked on in silence.

"Chin, what happened," Kono pleaded when it was only herself and her cousin left in the middle of the field - Gloria had fallen back fearfully at the sight of Danny and Steve.

"It's horrible. Something you have to wish could never happen but human history is littered with it."

Tears welled up in Kono's eyes.

"We need to get everyone out here - all the right people who know how to deal with this kind of thing. It's not for us, or our men, but people trained for this kind of retrieval. I've never seen so many bodies in one place and so inhumanly discarded without honour or respect for human life. Our ancestors weep today, Kono, and Hawaii will be swallowed up by it."

"You found a mass grave?" Kono gasped.

"It's just an open pit."

5-0

"Danny, are you all right?" Steve asked as he followed his partner into the barn and they were alone - except for the horses.

"Are you?" Danny asked without looking up.

"No," Steve stated honestly. "I never thought I would ever have to see something like that again, at least not ever in a civilian setting."

"But you've seen it before?" Danny asked.

"You have too, haven't you?"

"It's not the same," Danny said and sighed. "When I found Kaulike, I found him in a pit full of his kin. Most of them were already dead and trampled under the hooves of those who still fought to escape. We rescued five horses, three of which had to be put down because of their injuries. A friend of mine out of Colorado took the female who remained and I brought Kaulike with Target back to Hawaii because there was just nothing else I could do." Danny explained. "Aside for the horror of the animal cruelty, the people responsible were tried and convicted with the maximum we could put on them, but they'll all walk free in a few years. It's unjust and its evil, and they should have to pay with their lives but they won't because they were _just_ horses."

"They should be put away forever." Steve stated.

"If I've learned anything in studying homicide, I've learned that human nature doesn't change. If they start with inhuman acts toward animals, they usually escalate to worse. I'm sick to think those people could get out and do worse, but the system tries to make us believe that people can change. I've only ever seen it become worse in situations like this. These people that could take a life - let alone dozens - are not people. They are monsters and we have to stop them. Promise me we'll get to the bottom of this and put these devils away forever."

"We will," Steve nodded.

"I can only imaging what you've had to endure in you time at war."

"I knew what I was getting into when I enlisted, but it doesn't make this any less hard to see bodies strewn in the gutters, or mass executions because someone helped an enemy. You don't think that things like that could follow you to a land where freedom is the most important thing we have, but clearly human beings are capable of great evil anywhere they are. I'm sorry you had to see that. You're a civilian, and that is the worst of humanity. You've been through a lot, Danny, but you don't need to do this."

"I am the law," Danny stated as he looked up at Steve for the first time, "and justice will be served, and yes, I _have_ to do this."


	7. Ladies and Gentlemen

**A/N: So, sometimes when I sit down to write these stories I have a great and master plan for how things should happen. I need to do a lot of development, get other characters involved and really establish a world for my stories. In my head, most of the time things look great and then I start writing and things get all muddled until one or another of the characters starts speaking to me and things change…Danny why do you do this to me all the time? It's mostly Danny's fault.**

**Sorry about the end of this chapter.**

**Enjoy!**

Chapter 7: Ladies and Gentlemen

Kono rushed away from the farm and back to the office when a hand full of HPD officers arrived on the ranch.

Steve and Danny had gone into the barn but only Steve came out when he heard the call of the arriving sirens.

"Is he going to be okay?" Chin asked after waiting to see if Danny would emerge.

"Just one more, in a long line of things to talk through with a psychiatrist," Steve answered with a sigh.

"Good thing the department is paying for it. Sadly none of us can un-see what we just saw."

"It's true," Steve said with a sigh, "and we are no closer to finding out why Gloria's wagon was stolen. If it was about the serial killings, why let the children go?" Steve asked. "Not that I want to find children out there in a pit."

"That's a good question." Chin nodded. "All I know is, I sure don't want to find out where that road leads without all kinds of back up and body armour. We need help on this case and we need it badly. We were lucky we didn't get ambushed while we were out there today."

"I know," Steve agreed. "For now our priority is getting those bodies out. We're going to put so much heat on the area we'll either flush out our army men or we'll send them further underground."

"Hopefully their victims will tell us something if we do force them into hiding." Chin stated as Danny exited the barn - finally.

"I think it might be a good idea to up the police presence on all of the farms within the cooperative, in the event that our actions cause retaliations for our friends." Danny said, his eyes set and determined to get back to work. "As much as I want to solve this case, I don't want to bring this back around to our friends and put them in danger."

"Good idea. We may have put Gloria in more danger than we've anticipated if anyone was out there and saw us." Steve said as the three Five-Os headed toward the officers who had hung back to let the Five-Os come to them.

5-0

Back in the office Kono shuffled around satellite images on the smart table as Catherine walked in.

"Sounds like you've had a very busy morning." Catherine stated as she plopped down her lap top.

"Did you come right from work?" Kono asked as she looked Catherine up and down – she was still in uniform.

"I'm still on duty. I've been sent here to co-ordinate our rescue personnel with yours - anything we can do to help especially considering what the guys found out there," Catherine explained, "and you know how Steve and my CO seem to be best friends and blood brothers – or some such nonsense."

"I know, but we're glad to have all the help we could get on this one. I know what they found out there, but I'm glad I didn't have to see it," Kono stated honestly. "I feel for anyone who has to."

"Me too, though I'm sure photographs will be emerging shortly. The Navy has sent in a ground crew already, and has drones and helicopters in the air ready for orders. Everything we have will be seen soon." Catherine explained as she opened the lap top and connected to the Five-O server.

"We've sent out a rescue and retrieval team, and some heavy equipment." Kono added with a nod. "It's going to be a slow process."

"It sure is, but they will have lots of help." Catherine said sympathetically. "Steve called just before I arrived and Danny is worried about retaliation and the investigation of the areas. Because of Steve's connections we've called in some of our reservists to place them on the farms…"

"And HPD is going in for back up too," Kono stated.

"Talk about a joint task force."

"Too bad it's under these circumstances."

5-0

Late in the afternoon Steve and Chin walked into HQ looking exhausted and frustrated only to find Kono and Catherine busy at work - both speaking into head sets and shuffling around files and images on the developing case.

"What's the news?" Chin asked when Kono had ended her invisible conversation.

"The first body is out of the pit and en route to Max. Others will be shuffled between military hospitals and funeral homes until they can be autopsied and catalogued." Kono explained.

"Ground crews in the area are mapping the road and rescue crews are assisting in the removal of the bodies. Sweeps with infrared and night vision technology will occur tonight," Catherine added from her end of the investigation. "The naval hospital is ready to give any assistance to your coroner if it is required and our forensics teams are already in contact with Charlie Fong and his people."

"Great, it sounds like everything is under control. Thank you Ladies," Steve stated and Chin nodded.

"Where's Danny?" Both women asked in unison as they noticed that he hadn't arrived.

"He stayed behind with Gloria and Duke Lukela. He wants to make sure that she's safe. He'll join us again in the morning when he believes he can be useful to us." Steve said and there was something of anger and despair in his voice.

"You two fought didn't you?" Kono asked as she placed her hands on her hips.

"Not so much fought as disagreed over his qualifications." Steve answered with a sigh.

Catherine and Kono stared on in disbelief.

"Danny believes that until there is something to investigate he's useless to us as he's neither Navy or Search and Rescue." Chin explained. "Although he's got about as much search and rescue training – on horse back – as most of our guys do."

"So he'd do better with the horse," Steve added and sighed again. "I think he believes he'll be calmer and he'll have time to wrap his head around things if he stays in the barn again tonight. Danny is in a very dark place. So I didn't want to push the matter."

"Well he's kinda right. Danny is an amazing horseman and detective. Let the professional get everything out of the jungle and then let Danny do what he does best." Catherine said after a long pause. "Kono and I have everything coordinated on our end of the business. You two did what you could out in the field - unless you want to head back out there for the night ops Steve."

"I'm sure it's under control." Steve said with a shake of his head.

"But you'd love to go play with the reservists." Catherine corrected.

"Yes, but I'm not going to step on any toes. It's too important to have all these people on the right side - right now. So I'm going to let them do their work and I'll do mine as an investigator on this."

"And I know that there isn't much I can do, so I'm going to lend a hand to the crime lab and go out to photograph the bodies at all the many locations so that we might get started running some kind of identification on them." Chin explained. "I just came by to gram some equipment."

"Good idea, Cuz. Would you like me to tag alone so that Steve can take over with Catherine?" Kono asked.

"No, you stay. I'm worried about Danny and you women seem to be fine." Steve stated. "I'll find a way to be useful," he added as his phone began to ring. "Hey Glow. What's up?" he asked. "What?" he gasped and hit the speaker on the smart system. "Whoa slow down. What happened?"

"Steve, you've gotta get back out there. The barn is on fire and Danny's gone back in!"


	8. Blaze Of Glory

**A/N: Hello my lovelies! So I was going to hold off on this update so that I could post updates to **_**Maternal Instinct**_** and **_**Jewels of the Past**_** at the same time, but I got a little carried away with this chapter. I also didn't want you to wait too long knowing that the barn was on fire - but that's not all that happened. I believe a few of you who read **_**Kahuna Cowboy**_** are going to be really mad at me once you get to the end of this chapter. I'm sorry. Also Danny is so BAMF in this chapter it's kinda epic. Had to go with a Bon Jovi song as the title - it's very fitting for this chapter.**

**Enjoy.**

Chapter 8: Blaze of Glory

Danny watched as the last of the police cruisers left the farm. Daylight was slipping away and there was static in the air - like there was a storm coming but there wasn't a cloud in the sky. It was unnerving and the hairs on the back of Danny's neck stood on end.

Danny wasn't the only one left on the farm. Two unmarked, undercover officers - Brooks and McKewitt - were called in and showed up to pose as farm hands, but they were armed to the gills and ready for anything - or so they thought. Danny, however, was the only that felt the uneasiness in the calm before the storm. He was dressed in his riding gear, with a bullet proof vest under his black top and his hat still poised on his head. His gun and his badge were clearly visible - not that it mattered.

As the cars drove away and the two officers helped Gloria in the house, Danny watched the yard - scanned the shadows as darkness continued to slither closer and closer to devouring the world. The horses were already in the stable for the night - the pens were all empty - and the cattle were back in their barn.

It wasn't a small operation that Gloria ran - by any means. With her horses and those that were boarded at the stable, there were twenty five horses in total. On top of that, and gathered in another barn, were thirty cows, and to make up the acreage of her land, Gloria also seeded grain crops every season. It was a lot of work but work that was so routine for Gloria that it didn't feel like work at all.

When it was all done, quiet settled. The dogs roamed the farm freely, but had gathered on the porch for the food that Gloria had laid out for them. The jungle birds became quiet with the setting of the sun and all seemed peaceful in the calm - that was until Danny heard a noise that was out of character. It was the sound of breaking glass and then a whoosh that seemed to spread to a crackling and popping and soon the flames licked at the back side of the boarding stable.

"What the hell?" Danny asked out loud as his eyes were pulled toward the main entrance to the stable and a black shadow figure darted inside followed by a second.

"Gloria!" Danny yelled as he swung open the screen door to the farm house. "Gloria, call for back up!"

"What?" Gloria gasped as she and the two officers rushed through the house to where Danny was standing on the porch.

"No, scrap that, call the fire department!" Danny stated. "Then call Steve." he added and then bolted forward as flames started to tower over the stable roof and lick at the sky.

"The bales out back are on fire!" Gloria shrieked. "I'll lose my whole crop!"

"Go call for help!" Danny yelled again as he reached the door and pointed back at the house.

Gloria stopped in her tracked and rushed back to the house as the officers continued to follow Danny.

Danny reached out and grabbed ahold of the sliding doors and jumped back.

"It's already hot!" He stated and pulled his riding gloves on.

"Are there bales inside?" Brooks asked.

"Yes, right inside these doors there is a storage loft." Danny answered as worry crossed his face. "I saw someone go in there!"

"There is smoke coming out!" McKewitt said as he motioned to the cracks around the door.

"Shit!"

Danny pulled the heavy door with all his might and ducked back as the ping and pop of gun fire echoed off the metal.

From the door Danny and the two officers could barely see through the billowing smoke and flames. The horses were already making panic sounds as the shots rang out and the smoke semi cleared.

"It looks like the bales of feed are on fire, and it may stay contained to the storage area if we're quick." Danny stated - his weapon at the ready. "It's to block this exit, but there are two others. The far end of the stable opens into the arena. There are another set of double doors in that room, which are away from these fires and open toward the front pens and the road." Danny explained.

"What about the hostiles?" Brooks asked.

"Cover me!" Danny stated, pulled his collar up over his nose, and rushed through the flames.

"He's been hanging around McGarrett too long," McKewitt stated with a shake of his head, but there was nothing else for them to do but follow orders.

5-0

Shots rang out again but there was not rhyme or reason to the shooting as the two men who had set the fire on the inside of the barn watched in horror as a man dressed from head to toe in black walked through the flames toward them.

Danny fired two shots - hitting one of the arsonists - as the second one ducked through a back door and out of the stable.

"Who the hell are you?" Danny yelled as he and his back up moved away from the flames and toward the wounded criminal who tried to crawl - leaving a trail of blood from his wounded leg.

"You shot me!" the man shrieked.

"I'm gonna do much more than that!" Danny yelled and violently cuffed the guy. "Pray you don't get trampled." Danny hissed and dragged the man into the middle of the long run.

"Brooks, open the stalls. McKewitt, get the horses into the arena and out to the pens in the front. Get them out of here as quickly as you can before the fire spreads into the hay in their stalls." Danny ordered as he pushed open the arena doors. "If you have time get him outta here, but save the horses first." he added - made direct and malicious eye contact with the man on the floor and then turned away again - as he pulled a length of rope off a hook on the wall and before the two officers knew what was happening, Danny was pulling Target out of his stall and toward the door the second man had fled through.

The officers did as they were told and one by one - with a quick crack of a lunging whip or a slap to the rear - the horse raced down the run and into the arena narrowly avoiding the bleeding man on the stable floor.

5-0

Danny coughed as he exited the barn on the far side of Gloria's property - with his horse and his weapon drawn - and caught a glimpse of a figure running across the field toward the jungle.

"I don't think so!" Danny stated angrily, holstered his gun and with a slap and a hand full of Target's mane he flung himself onto the horses bare back and took off like a crack of thunder.

With one hand grasping tightly to Target's mane, and his knees and thigh muscles holding him up right, Danny and Target gained ground quickly as the man screamed in fear and stumbled - dropping his weapon as he fled.

Expertly, with his free hand, Danny uncoiled the rope, swung it up over his head and with one last push to make Target move faster - just before his fugitive dove into the underbrush - Danny lassoed himself a fleeing fugitive.

"Whoa!" Danny yelled, let go of Target's mane and yanked hard on the rope with both hands - causing the fugitive to fly backwards out of the brush.

The man landed just as Target lowered his rear haunches to stop himself before he and Danny both flew head long into the brush as well.

Without getting off the horse, Danny pulled on the rope again to keep his suspect off balance and turned the horse around. Another kick and Target took off again dragging the man back toward the burning barn.

5-0

Panic was in every last one of Gloria's movements as she grabbed at the phone on the wall and dialled 911.

"Please help me, my barn is on fire!" Gloria cried into the phone when she finally got an operator. "Yes, there are horses and people in there. Please hurry!" she yelled. "I can't stay on the line with you, I have to help them!" She added fearfully and without hanging up the land line she reached for her purse and pulled out her cell.

"Oh my God - gun shots!" Gloria shrieked before she managed to dial the number into her cell as she rushed to the door again and hit the deck. She watched in shock as Danny and the other two officers rushed into the inferno.

"Oh my God." She gasped with tears in her eyes and for a long moment - in the noise of the fire and the gun battle - she remained breathless and still, until she saw another shadow dart back across the field.

"Steve, you've gotta get back out here. The barn is on fire and Danny's gone back in!" Gloria yelled into her cell. "There are shots, Steve, and another guy just rushed back across the field. Steve you have to hurry!"

"That's enough of that missy!" a man stated with a semi-automatic weapon slung over his shoulder and a pistol aimed at Gloria.

His face was covered with a bandana - like a bandit - but the voice and the eyes were not those of the man who had hijacked the wagon.

"Who are you?" Gloria gasped as she fell backward in shock and dropped her cell onto the floor as she tried to escape.

"You shouldn't have called anyone. You shouldn't have told anyone what you saw out in the jungle. We had nothing against you, until you went against us. Now you must die."

"You have to know that Five-O is here." Gloria stated boldly.

"You mean they were on the phone. I know who you were talking to." The man stated and his eyes flashed with amusement as he stomped down on the phone - crushing it.

Gloria gasped.

"They aren't going to get to you in time." The man said with a laugh as he levelled his gun and fired, but two shots rang out in the small farm house as he fell forward and Gloria cried out in pain.


	9. Helpless

**A/N: I didn't want to make you wait too long…but I didn't really resolve anything either. Sorry.**

Chapter 9: Helpless

"Slow down Gloria," Steve stated into the phone as everyone else in the office stared on in shock.

"There are shot, Steve, and another guy just rushed back across the field. Steve you have to hurry!" Gloria stated and then gasped.

"Gloria?" Steve asked with panic in his tone as he snapped his fingers at the people around him.

Steve heard the unfamiliar man's voice faintly over the cell connection and then the sound of the cell falling.

"Gloria, are you all right?" Steve asked again.

"There is an ongoing 911 call coming from the farm house." Kono stated as she worked at the smart table.

The connection was linked up to Five-O in seconds and they listened in silence unable to do anything else.

"HPD responders are already on their way." Chin added as the information appeared around them. "They'll never get to Gloria in time."

"Neither will we," Steve sighed and punched at the air. "We should have stayed behind with Danny!"

He snatched his phone off the smart table as the cell link was cut short.

Steve tossed his cell from hand to hand and listened as the stranger made threats against Gloria.

"You're recording all this right?" Steve whispered to Catherine.

"Every word and we'll be able to enhance it later." Catherine answered.

"Good. Chin, send as much more back-up to the farm as you can." Steve ordered and then the gun shots sounded loud and clear over the line.

"Gloria!" Steve yelled. "Come on Gloria answer me!"

"Steve, get your ass back here!" Danny yelled over the 911 line. "Get help! Gloria's been shot!"

"You two, stay where you are, keep contact and get as much help out to that farm as you can." Steve ordered to the two women as he spun on his heals. "Chin, you're with me. We should have never left!"

5-0

Danny's first reaction as he walked through the farm house door was to make sure that Gloria was all right.

He'd seen the man with the semi-automatic weapon from across the field and he raced back - his heart caught in his throat knowing that this was all a distraction to get to Gloria. He ignored the man who screamed as he bounced across the hard ground as Danny grabbed two hands full of Target's mane and pushed the horse to move faster.

Once inside the instinct to shoot the man was more than he'd imagined as rage and guilt rose up inside Danny. He should have known better than to leave Gloria alone with the threat of hostiles. He should have known that there were more than just the two of them. He saw the man, and heard the man's threats, and before he knew what he was doing Danny fired his weapon just as the stranger fired his, and as he hit the ground, and Gloria cried out in pain, Danny's guilt became overwhelming.

"Help is coming." Danny stated as he fell to his knees before Gloria - pushing the dead man and his weapons aside and laid his hands over the wound in Gloria's abdomen. "Just hang on." Danny stated and fumbled for his phone.

"The land-line is still live with the 911 operator." Gloria stated through hitching in her breathing.

"Steve, get your ass back here!" Danny yelled as loud as he could. "Get help. Gloria's been shot!"

"Okay, Gloria, just stay with me." Danny stated and pressed hard on the wound. "Tell me if you recognized this guy."

"No, but he knows me." Gloria said weakly. "There was another one that went across the field."

"Yeah, I know. I got that one. He's hog tied on your porch and Brooks and McKewitt have another on in the barn, but the horses are their priority right now."

"I would have paid good money to see you hog tie that guy." Gloria joked. "How did you do it?"

"What do you mean, how did I do it?" Danny asked sadly as he tried to joke with Gloria just to keep her talking. "Do you know who you are talking to?" he smiled. "You always tell me I'm the best."

"How did you catch up to him?" Gloria asked, and sighed, and coughed.

"I pulled my black stallion from a barn on fire, with a rope at my hip and saw the guy make the dash."

"Sounds like a scene from a movie." Gloria said and closed her eyes.

"No, Gloria, look at me!" Danny ordered.

Gloria opened her eyes again.

"It wasn't like a movie. It was real life. I flung myself onto my horse's bare back and raced across the field. That's how I caught him." Danny explained.

"That was so very Kahuna of you," Gloria smiled.

"Yeah whatever," Danny said with an embarrassed shake of his head.

"How bad it is?" Gloria whispered to try and easy Danny's embarrassment.

"The barn? You might lose it, but the horses will be okay." Danny answered.

"No, this," Gloria sighed as she laid one bloody hand on top of Danny's

"It's just a scratch." Danny lied. "It's nothing that the paramedics can't handle when they get here. Steve get's injures like this and let's them bleed all over while he chases down a fugitive barefoot over hot coals. Where the hell are those paramedics?" Danny yelled into the room.

"You're a terrible liar," Gloria whispered.

"I'm not lying. You're going to be fine. You have to be." Danny stated as he heard the sirens getting closer. "Don't you dare close those eyes Gloria. Stay with me!"

"Danny, promise my you'll take care of my horses." Gloria said as her head rolled to one side and her breathing became quiet and labored.

"Of course!" Danny stated as two paramedics rushed into the farm house. "Like you even had to ask. They'll be right as rain when you come back for them."

"Thank you." Gloria stated and closed her eyes.

"Excuse us, Detective. We've got this!" The first paramedic stated as he moved forward.

"You're going to be okay Gloria." Danny stated as he moved aside and more sirens echoed off the buildings, including the sounds of the fire trucks.

"EMT are on the scene," Danny said into the land-line as he moved away to give the paramedics room to work.

"Danny, Steve and Chin are on the way as well," Kono answered over the line.

"Good, I have two suspects for Steve and a dead hostile, but I have to stay here and take care of the horses. I promised Gloria."

"I know, we heard." Kono answered. "Danny, is Gloria okay?" she asked.

"I don't know. It looks really bad and I think she's lost consciousness but the paramedics are working on her now and the machine is beeping so that has to be a good sign right?" Danny asked as he hushed his voice.

"I'll meet her at the hospital. Catherine will run damage control from here so if you need her call her." Kono stated.

"Call in Toast for help as well," Danny stated.

"I already did, Danny," Catherine answered.

"Danny, are you okay?" Kono asked.

"Ten four," Danny answered - again he lied - and then hung up the phone before following the paramedics out of the awaiting ambulance.


	10. Guardian

**A/N: Hey Everyone! Happy 4****th**** Of July tomorrow! Or today depending on where you are. I hope everyone has a wonderful, safe, holiday (to all you Americans out there) the rest of us have Fanfiction to fall back on.**

**So here is another chapter. It's a bit of filler, kinda to get in Danny's mind. It's more the other guys getting on the same page as Danny. **

**Enjoy!**

Chapter 10: Guardian.

Steve and Chin arrived at the farm to find it a buzz with activity. The farm was a blaze with light but not from the fire - that had been extinguished in record time. Sirens were silenced but the emergency lights flashed as spot lights and flash lights lit up the property as if it were day light. Hundreds of people had arrived from all over the island to help out and Steve was certain that, if there were any other hostiles, they had long since moved on.

The barn was in better shape than Danny had anticipated, though the back of the barn was scorched from the fire in the hay stacks, it did little damage to the siding on the stable or its roof. Inside Brooks and McKewitt had managed to free the horses, and their prisoner, before returning and spraying down the horse stalls with the cleaning hoses and keeping the fire to a minimum. Structurally the stables would be all right. All of the feed had been destroyed but the neighbouring farmers had already stepped forward to help out. The horses would remain outside for the night, with all of the additional people who had arrived on the scene, and in the morning when the fire inspector had done his review the neighbours were ready to help to rebuild whatever needed their attention.

George Snelling and Kawika were already making phone calls to all of their friends to get the food needed to the farm, not only for the horses, but for all the people who had arrived to help out. These two men, after Steve, were the first people Danny contacted knowing how close Gloria was with both of them. It was only right to have them on the farm in this time of need. Once they were finished with the farm - as they had already sought out Danny and he'd made the situation known to them - they would head in to the hospital and hold their own vigil over Gloria, but for now they were still on the site, calling the shot, when Steve and Chin arrived.

Steve and Chin moved through all of the organized chaos in their search for Danny. As they moved along they were given all of the good news. The farm was safe. The fugitives were moved to HPD lock up to a wait questioning - they had been checked out by paramedics on the scene. One was taken to hospital but would be moved to HPD, in all likelihood, before Steve and Danny were ready to conduct their questioning. The third man was dead, verified and pronounced on the scene. He was heading to the coroners office where Max would make him a priority. Aside for their captives, the fire was out and calm was returning to the sleepy little farm. The horses were fine, and so was the cattle - it was clear to everyone present that they had never been the initial target.

`All seemed to have worked out for the better - except for Gloria whose condition was still unknown - but Steve was worried about Danny.

Passing through the crowd and seeing a dark figure off in the field, Steve and Chin broke away from the official investigation and made their way out into the field cautiously as to not spook Danny or his horse.

Danny sat atop his horse like an omen in the field. He didn't look real. He was dressed in his black clothing - still - but was stationed at the highest point in the field. From there he could look down on the world and he looked very much like an apparition or a ghost. Steve was sure if he blinked the figure would be gone, and again he would have to start his search all over.

"All right, John Wayne, are you ready to come back to reality?" Steve asked as they drew nearer.

"He's more like King Kamehameha up there." Chin said trying to get Danny attention.

Danny's back was to his friends as they arrived, but as he turned Chin and Steve could make out the discomfort and fatigue in his features. Danny's eyes were sad and red. His shoulders were hunched, and he seemed to breathe in a series of sighs. There were traces of blood on his clothing, a bullet proof vest secured to his torso with a semi-automatic weapon slung across his chest, and a pair of night vision goggles strung around his neck.

"Where did you find those?" Steve asked suspiciously as he pointed at the goggles.

"The back seat of your truck," Danny replied as he got down from his mount and stood with his friends.

Danny looked and sounded ragged and warn out. His horse twitched in silent stress as his ears moved with every sound, and like Danny, he just couldn't be calm.

"What are you doing out here, all by yourself, with no back up and no one really knowing where you'd gotten to?" Steve asked as a noise from the jungle made Danny jump as his attention was snapped toward the sound and away from Steve's voice.

"The men came out of the jungle." Danny answered bringing the goggles to his eyes and scanning the edge of the property that was bathed in darkness. "I don't believe that was all of them."

"So you were going to hang out up here - like a sitting duck - and just wait for more hostiles to appear and shoot you down?" Steve asked and his tone was surprisingly similar to one Danny always used on him.

"What else was I supposed to do?" Danny asked and lowered his goggles again. "I'd already left Gloria unprotected. I wasn't about to let these bastards sneak up on us again."

"You could have gone to the hospital with Gloria - you _should_ have gone." Steve stated.

"No, I promised to protect the horses." Danny stated, grabbed a handful of Target's mane and hoisted himself back onto his horse. "I promised. You can take care of the rest of this." he added and then took off toward the tree line.

"Danny, they aren't coming back tonight. It would be stupid!" Steve yelled but it was a waste of breath.

"He's not okay," Chin said to Steve when Danny was out of earshot, "and he's not thinking straight. I mean, I believe he's right. I think the hostiles will come back, but they won't be back tonight and he can't be out here all by himself."

"I know," Steve replied with a sigh. "I'll get Kaulike and I'll go after him. You see if there is anything else we can do."

Chin nodded his agreement and jogged off toward the farmhouse where the real crimes had taken place while Steve watched his partner for a moment more, and then sprinted off toward the horse pens.


End file.
